Game



April 15, 1941.

J. K. M IVER ETAL.

GAME

Filed July 25, 1939 JOHN K. MC /1/E,Q CHER/E J'o Patented Apr. 15, 1941UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE GAME John K. McIver and Carrie J 0y,Baltimore, Md.

Application July 25, 1939, Serial No. 286,453

1 Claim.

This invention refers to games and more particularly to those requiringexceptional skill, and the use of discs, rollers, blocks or counters,and the like, propelled to targets or goals. It has among its objects toprovide a game that will have a functional playing action different anddistinct from the general type of such games now in use. Another objectis to provide a special form of goal equipment that will cooperate withthe playing piece used in the game to give it 1 variable actions,employed in the game as a means for calculating results and points. Afurther object is to have the game ccnstructible for portable purposesand for varying the eifect of the functional action of the parts. tohave an arrangement of parts in the game that will create particularinterest in the observers; require unique skill and afford features ofan unexpected nature. A still further object is to have the structuralparts of the game equipment arranged that they will restrict themovement of the moving or propelled pieces within a certainpredetermined area after the shot or move has been made in the usualmanner; and to provide for a. dual manner of scoring with the playing 1piece.

Other objects will become apparent as the invention is more fully setforth.

The conventional games of this type usually have openings in theirtargets or goals for the playing pieces or blocks used, that are ofround form and permit the pieces to enter, no matter how they are turnedat the time. The latter are of such regular form that their motions canbe closely predetermined by the player and provided plural in number toenable the plays to be varied.

and employed with a plural quantity of markers or playing pieces. Theplaying pieces are of narrow cylindrical construction and are rolledduring plays towards the goal on their edges. The narrowness of the areaWithin which the axis of the center of gravity passes through and thetendency of the rolling or rotation to keep the playing pieces upright,provide a diverging infiuence on its travel that causes the device toStill another object is i have varied movements in accordance with theforce with which they are propelled and the position they are startedout with. These movements of these pieces makes it difiicult to directthem to the openings in the goals accurately, and even when they reachsame, to make them enter suitably to get the score sought. The device isportable and may be closed on itself into a flat compact package withgreat facility and speed, or opened up for reuse as the case may be. Thestructure is relatively simple and may be manufactured easily ofstandard materials' In the drawing which illustrates examples of thisinvention:

Figure 1 is a View in perspective of the goal members and structure of agame embodying this invention;

Figure 2 is a view in perspective of the game combined with a tablestructure;

Figure 3 is a detail of the joint used between adjacent wall parts forthe goal structure;

Figure 4 is a sectional elevation along the line 4-4 of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a detail of the playing missile used in this form of theinvention.

Figure 6 is a detail of the strap means to hold the walls in position.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout thedrawing.

In the construction shown, the goal structure of the game consists of abackground member I with holes 2, along the edges 3 for the use of theflexible connecting cords 4, which tie in corresponding holes 22, alongthe edges 33 of'the side wall members H. The cords 4 are preferably ofrubber rings tied together with a link 5 to make a complete joint and atthe same time keep the members tightly and resiliently together withoutinjuring themselves when being opened, closed, orused. The flexibilityofthe joint overcomes many difficulties of a'practical nature arising inthe use of the goal structure, in a simple manner, which otherwise wouldrequire special adjustments and sundries of various natures to get thesame results.

A front target plate 6 is similarly secured to the edges 1 of the sidewall plates 2!, through the use of the cords 8, and holes 9 and IE!respectively in the plate 6 and 2| as indiciated. The wallplates 2| areplaced so that their free edges I2 place themselves at the jointsbetween the background member andside wall members, and are clampedtightlythere between their edges inplace. The front plate has a seriesof vertical openings [3, which are intended for the playing pieces,which are arbitrarily termed missiles, l 4 to pass through, if in theproper position to do so. The lower portions [5 of the openings arerectangular in form and wide enough to allow the whole playing missileI4 to pass through when upright and rolling in a vertical position. Theupper portion It of the openings are circular in contour and largeenough to allow the blocks to pass through in any position, horizontalor vertical, provided they are propelled throughin proper alignmenttherewith.

When mounted on a table structure 11, having legs l8, of such size as togive the top surface I8 a slant towards the front of about one inch tothe foot. The goal structure is placed at the rear end portion IS withthe chamber 20, formed by the walls and plate over a sunken or depressedportion 3| made in the surface [8 asindicated. Rails,

The missiles I 4 are circular like a disc, with I their thicknesssuflicient to permit them to roll along a flat surface if properlyplayed, but take on an erratic movement if not sent along carefully inthe proper way. They have central holes 25 bevelled as indicated forhandling and other.

purposes, and to give a dilferent effect when rolling along.

In the operation of the game, assuming the goal structure is placeddirectly on the floor, the parts are preferably arranged as shown inFigure 1, which does not require further explanation. The players takeup a position at a. line about sixteen feet from the goal and roll themissiles I4 on their edges to same. The preferable manner of holding theblocks is between the thumb and first finger, as the control. over theirtravel is made more diflicult in this way. The missiles roll towards thegoal if they remain upright, and the conditions are right, or fall on aside and remain there. Their subsequent positions with relation to thegoal determine the amount of the score.

The scores are determined by the following conditions and locations. If.the discs strike the goal target plates without entering through theopenings I3, the score is five points, and so on, as outlined in thefollowing table:

Score 1. Hit front plate 5 2. Partway through opening 5 3. Througheither side slot goal 10 4. Through center slot goal 5. Triple througheither slot goal; 50 6. Triple through center slot goal 100 7. Throughall slots at random goal 150 8. Through all slots in rotation (eitherway) 200 9. Passing through circles of slots 210 10. Game, total 500Rules (a) Any number of persons may play,

(17) Playing distance 16 feet,

(c) All missiles must roll all the way to score,

(11) Each player, in turn, rolls three missiles,

(e) No count allowed on missiles not being played at time,

(1) Plays reversing from goal through slot, cancel previous score,

(9) Jumping over front plate by missiles, re-

moves player from game.

When the table is used, the forward slant of the surface i8, affects theplay to a considerable degree, as the missiles roll back if they do notmake a goal. This makes the game more difiicult, and causes varioussituations to arise that are not expected and that do not happen whenthe missiles are run on a horizontal surface. The game, with its rules,keeps the player at tension throughout, and excites the interest to amaximum degree.

The goal is additionally protected and made rigid by the use of U-shapedstraps 26, slipping under the front plate and background walls asindicated and thereby preventing the movement of same from each other.The depressed section 3| in the table serves to drop the missiles andhold them when they have passed into the goal, so they cannot return orescape from the goal under normal playing. The cords 4 and 8 are preferably of rubber or other flexible arrangement to permit theirstretching and allowing the connecting walls edge portion to open up thejoints and fit in between, and thus be clamped in place.

While but one form of the invention is indicated in the drawing, and twoways of using same, it is not desired to limit this application forpatent to same otherwise than limited by the prior art, as it isappreciated that other forms of construction could be used that employthe same principles and come within the scope of the appended claim.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

In combination with fiat-sided discs having bevelled holes therethrough,of a target device having a frontal piece with vertical straightsidedkeyhole type of slots'adapted to permit the discs to pass throughedgewise and topped with an enlarged circular portion, said slotsleading from the bottom thereof and terminating at the proximate middleof the piece, a pair of vertical walls flexibly attached to the sideedges of the said piece and disposed therefrom at an angle thereto, inrearward direction, similar walls connected to the rearward side edgesof the previous ly mentioned vertical walls and angular pointing towardsthe front to provide a V-like wall attachment to the frontal piece forsupporting the same vertically on a horizontal surface and a backgroundwall vertically disposed' and joining the rear portions of the saidwalls where they meet in V-like arrangement and forming an open box-likecompartment behind the frontal piece to receive the discs passingthrough the slots.

JOHN K. MCIVER. CARRIE JOY;

